Bank Holiday, Beach and Bluebells

Wasn't the weather over the three day weekend just glorious? Sunshine, blue skies and record breaking temperatures, for the time of year. Everyone at work today had a slight post-holiday glow about them, as much due to the relaxed feeling the warmth brings us as to the effect of spending time in the sun. I found that, in just three days, meal times were later, bedtimes later, routines disappearing and everything sliding into that gorgeous holiday mellowness. This morning was a bit of a shock to the system. 

Actually, we did a lot this weekend, but the weather made it all so much more enjoyable. My parents and I worked really hard in the garden, digging out an entire flower bed, taking garden waste to the tip, pruning and tidying and generally licking the place into shape. We jet washed the decked area outside the patio door from our kitchen and then I gave it a couple of coats of protective decking stain. John finished the table and benches he made for the garden and they are just fantastic - I'll have to do a big post soon showing you everything we've done in the garden. I'm so happy with how it's turning out. Nothing major, no groundworks or landscaping, but just rethinking the space and how we use it to get the most out of it. 

In amongst all this labouring was lots of fun though; meals in the garden, various chilled drinks drunk in deckchairs in the setting sun; new potatoes with butter and mint from the herb garden, slow mornings, children reading outside in the sun, a happy whippet, trips to the beach and the woods to see the bluebells.

The beach on Sunday afternoon was divine. Usually when it's so warm a couple of miles inland, where we are, you find it's a few degrees cooler and breezy down on the beach and it can make quite a difference. But on Sunday it was just as warm and still; people were swimming in the sea, paddle boarding, sunbathing, having barbecues, just enjoying the weather. The sea was calm and clear and I wished we'd brought swim things and a towel with us so that we could have stayed longer. But as it was we were there to walk Ziggy, and he had a wonderful time running around. I didn't let him off his lead until we were quite a way away from most of the people. I didn't want him stealing anyone's sausages. (I'm also very conscious, and respectful I hope, of the fact that many people - especially children - don't like a dog running towards them to say hello, so I am very careful about where he's off his lead.)

On Monday, in between giving the decking another coat of stain and replacing the torn parasol canopy (lesson learned - pack it away in the winter) we went to the woods. I try to do this every spring if we can because....well why wouldn't you?

The walk from the car to the woods isn't a long, a mile and half at most, but it was hot.

But there was frothy cow parsley along the paths and the heady scent of lilac as we walked. When we reached the wood it was deserted, which made me happy. It's a very small area just tucked away off a track but the profusion of bluebells is always what makes it so breathtaking. Hopeful of some photo opportunities, I took my new camera with me and had fun with the new lens. 

I think we were a little too late for the full technicolour display though, as they seemed much more faded than on previous visits, though no less beautiful for that. We stopped in the shaded woods and had a mini-picnic of cake and water (too hot for a thermos of coffee) and spent a while just wandering around and taking it all in. 

I think that was one of my favourite moments from the whole weekend actually, that pause in the woods. Just the four of us, having a nice time and feeling a bit like we were on holiday. Well five, if you count this one. 

The Last of the Daffodils

Thank you for your comments and suggestions around my herb planter; I hadn't considered raising it off the ground slightly for better drainage, or the differing needs of dry Mediterranean herbs versus the softer ones, so I really appreciate your tips. I am already anticipating that I will need to move some of those herbs into another planter as they grow, so perhaps I'll separate them by type then. I am an enthusiastic gardener but I am constantly reminded of how little I know. I love our garden, I love spending time out there, whether that's working on it or relaxing in it, and if I manage to grow something and keep it alive then even better. Half the appeal of gardening for me is the therapy, the way hours just disappear and I feel so much better after some time working out there. And thank you for the suggestions for uses for lemon balm! Tea, cake, salads, vinaigrette, lemonade, to fill a vase. All sound wonderful and I am already planning and thinking. 

We've been working so hard in the garden over the last few weeks. A section of decking has been removed, the trampoline moved to a new and well hidden corner of the garden, borders have been dug and planted, turf laid. This weekend I plan to jet wash and treat the decking area outside the patio doors from the kitchen, and possibly paint the pink bench if I feel inclined. John has been making me some fabulous outdoor furniture - a table and two benches - and I cannot wait to show them to you. 

The weather has been completely all over the place here. Monday was so foul, so cold, wet and windy, that if felt like we'd stepped back into winter. I wore a woolly hat, for goodness sake. But it seems like we have a dry, settled spell ahead which is perfect for the bank holiday weekend, and the huge amount of washing I always seem to have to do. 

The daffodils have finally finished blooming in their big planter on the decking. I cut the last few fading stems and brought them indoors to enjoy on the kitchen windowsill. Some don't like the smell of daffodils but I absolutely love it. I plan to pull the wilting plants up carefully, leaves intact - something to do with nutrients going back into the bulb I think - and store them somewhere dark until I replant them next autumn. Which leaves me wondering what to plant in their place. Last year I had sweet peas there, and they were wonderful but I'm pondering something different this year. Dahlias perhaps? I'm not sure. I did love those sweet peas, they are one of my favourite flowers. 

Life rumbles along quite peacefully here. Bella is a little preoccupied with her Y6 SATS tests in a few weeks although I wouldn't say she's worried, more just wanting to do them and get them over and done with. I tell her that I don't care what score she gets but I'll be cross if I think she hasn't made any effort, mainly because she has worked very hard and deserves to do well. We recently went to a welcome evening at the secondary school she'll start in September. My little independent learner, how she grows. Angus meanwhile is consumed by the prospect of turning nine in a couple of weeks and has asked for a drone and a Swiss army knife. Ziggy continues to be a challenge and a delight, but more the latter. I can't imagine life without him now, the naughty, chewing pup. John turns forty soon, and has booked some time off work over half term so that will be nice. He's asked for a petrol chainsaw for his birthday, or a nice coffee machine. We are so middle aged, and happily so. I am very nearly finished with the My Sweetiepies ABCs cross stitch sampler. I enjoyed stitching that folksy little kettle very much and have saved the bit I most wanted to sew, the bed, until last. Now my thoughts are turning to gifts for Angus's birthday, then a patchwork quilt perhaps, and lots more embroidery. And possibly a crochet summer sweater. Decisions, decisions. 

Have a lovely bank holiday weekend. 

Making the Seasons: April

Hello! First of all, thank you so much for your lovely and encouraging comments on my knitted jumper. I am glad you all liked it and, given how chilly and grey the weather has been this week, I've appreciated it's warmth on more than one occasion. 

Welcome to my Making the Seasons post for April. In this monthly project, my friend Lucy of Attic24 and I are consciously trying to make time in our busy lives to focus on small and seasonal creative projects - activities which are achievable yet fulfilling, and in tune with the months of the year. I really hope it might inspire you to have a go at doing something creative yourself. 

My project this month was to renovate an unloved wooden box and turn it into a small herb planter for the back garden. This might at first glance seem ambitious but please believe me when I tell you that it only took a couple of hours, snatched here and there over the Easter holidays. 

The box, found in my Grandpa's garage, was in reasonably good shape and just needed a bit of TLC and as soon as I clapped eyes on it I thought "planter!" I gave it a quick sand and two coats of outdoor wood paint in a lovely soft grey, then drilled a few holes in the bottom for drainage. I lined it with a couple of heavy duty plastic bin liners staple-gunned to the inside of the box, trying to roughly match up the holes in the plastic with the holes I'd drilled in the box - I have no idea is this method is correct but it has worked for me on previous projects, allowing drainage but reducing the effects of water on the wood over time.

I bought a selection of herbs from the garden centre, choosing rosemary, chives, flat leaf parsley, thyme, oregano, mint and lemon balm. I am a bit nutty about fresh herbs. The olfactory power of them just sends me into such a spin; the memories, the recipes; the  meals - it makes my mouth water. Fragrant rosemary reminds me of lamb and little roasted potatoes, while savoury thyme makes me think of roast chicken every time. Oregano I associate with pasta dishes and the oniony chives with cheese and salad. But the herb that really moves me is mint. The associations and memories are so powerful, just a whiff of that plant takes me back to my grandparent's beautiful garden on a summer's day. My late maternal Grandma - who would lunch "casually" in the garden with a table that was laid for state occasions including, tablecloth, china, crystal glasses, silver cutlery, the works - would send my sisters and I down to the "herb garden" (rockery) to cut mint or chives for various salads and other dishes. Mint would be chopped and sprinkled liberally over butter-drenched Jersey Royal new potatoes which would be eaten as we sat under a tree in their garden. I'm sure the filter of time and love has skewed these memories slightly, but they remain. Also, in recent years, I've come to associate the smell of mint with mojitos, and the memories around those are no less warmly remembered, although they may be at times fuzzy. Goodness I love a mojito: white rum, mint, lime, ice - summery heaven in a drink. 

I aimed for herbs that I knew we would use a lot in cooking (although sadly I don't think I'll ever be able to grow my most-used basil or coriander successfully without a cold frame) and that were hardy for the British climate. I deliberately planted the mint and lemon balm separately in pots as they will spread quickly and need to be contained. I have to admit here that I have no idea what I will do with the lemon balm, I just liked how it smelled. Any ideas most welcome! 

I realised once I'd planted them that, while I knew which was which, the children (and very possibly John) might not. How could I ask the kids to go and cut me some rosemary if they didn't know which plant it was? 

And so I decided to make some herb markers from Fimo modelling clay, simply because I had some in the house and had seen something similar on Pinterest, and I thought I could use my little stamp set with it. (Incidentally, this is the stamp set - I've had it for some years and use it absolutely loads, I'd really recommend it.)

Stamping the Fimo took a little practise (and I had to give the stamps a good clean!) but was fun to do and they have the desired effect.

I've since moved the herb planter to right outside the kitchen door, so that they can be easily cut in all weathers (so important in April!) without trekking down to the bottom of the garden.

Ziggy hasn't eaten the herbs yet, but has had a little nibble at the corner of the planter. 

That last photo reminds me that I really must jet wash and treat the decking soon, it's looking awful. That job is one of the many things on my garden to-do list this spring, one of many ideas that's always simmering away at the back of my mind, as I try to think of ways to improve our outdoor space on the smallest of budgets, so that hopefully we can sit out in the warm sun in a few months and enjoy all our hard work. With a mojito perhaps? :-)

Please do pop over to Lucy's blog and read all about her creative adventures this month. I hope you're all enjoying your weekends. Happy crafting! 

I Knitted A Jumper

This post comes under the category of Posts I Never Thought I'd Write, including "I sewed a wearable item of clothing", "I successfully made macarons" and "I finally baked that sourdough loaf". My knitted jumper dreams are mainly centred around Sarah Lund style Faroese patterns and complicated Fair Isle colour work - beautiful but incredibly complicated and time consuming - but what do you know, I actually knitted a jumper, and just in time for a heat wave too! I try for seasonal crafting, I really do, but I'm a bit slow with the old needles. 

The pattern is the Dreaming Jumper by Wool and the Gang (you know I'm a big fan of them) which was very kindly - and patiently - gifted to me last November. I didn't really get going on it until the end of the year and then have been working on it off and on for about four months. I know, that's slow. Quicker or more experienced knitters would be able to knit this in a week or two, easily, as it's just four large garter stitch squares sewn together. 

And that's the beauty of it: it is the ultimate beginner's pattern for a knitted sweater. No increases or decreases, no purls, just cast on, knit, cast off. You might say dull. I say relaxing. Wool and the Gang kits are fab and come with everything you need including pattern, yarn, needles, darning needle and even a cute label to sew in, a nice touch.

The yarn is very soft, very chunky and a delight to knit with. It glides over the needles and has great stitch definition while still being a little fluffy. The kit came with six balls of my chosen colour Rocky Grey, but paranoid as I am about jumpers and coats never being long enough in the sleeve for me (I'm 5'11") I bought myself another ball of yarn in Bronzed Olive to edge the cuffs with. I love this block of colour at the end of each sleeve, and they are really, really long now.

The jumper is cloud-like. If I was ever to take it on holiday I would either have to wear it or give it it's own separate bag, as it is voluminous. Folding it is almost impossible.

It's a dream to wear, although perhaps not the most slimming item of clothing in my wardrobe, but if you're cosy who cares.

Angus, who was a little under the weather over the weekend, kept wearing it. He wants a blanket knitted in the same yarn as it it so soft and warm. I would also quite like to knit a blanket in this yarn, I just need to seriously save my pennies first. (Actually, the thought of a one colour blanket in this kind of yarn, with the emphasis on texture more than colour or pattern, is very appealing indeed. Very calming.)

Knitting this jumper has definitely brought back some of my knitting mojo, but also my desire to make more things to wear. I've crocheted and sewn so much for the house, and I will always want to do that, but it's fun to make things to wear too. I want to try my hand at a crochet cotton summer sweater next. 

But overall, a success. I knitted a jumper and I like it a lot. I just need winter to come back now so that I can wear it.